My flatmates and I were having an argument last night about how Facebook and all of the newer age means of communicating were destroying the communication abilities of today’s youth. I think that while these new forms of technology have opened up different ways of communication, they will not affect the youth as much as people are speculating. My reason for saying this comes from my knowledge of history. In Britain, in the 1960s a revolution in music culture occurred at the hands of four boys from Liverpool. The Beatles introduced a new form of rock ‘n roll to the world. People were afraid that the loose values and shaggy haircuts would spread like wild-fire and destroy the youth. Their music did change the world forever and it was a driving force behind many of the radical movements of the time, like for example John Lennon’s plea for the world to “give peace a chance.” Their trend setting ways did change the youth, but not necessarily for the worse. A new youth culture was brought to the stage in Britain and the rest of the world soon followed. It is funny to think that a few boys who played music in a local pub could become four of the best known artists in the world. I think the music of the Beatles reflected a very post World War II attitude of living and loving freely. Who knew four boys from Liverpool would have such a dramatic affect on the world? The Beatles were not a passing fad; they and the music they created are timeless.

Last week on our BLC field trip to Dover Castle, I really wish we could have seen the World War II tunnels. When we were standing by the entrance looking out at Dover bay, one of the tour guides was telling us a story about the evacuations of Dunkirk, during World War II. The first time that I heard about the evacuations was after watching Atonement. I had never really learned about too much detail about World War II from the British perspective until I came here. It was interesting to hear and see how much the tunnels and the castle grounds had contributed towards saving the lives of many British and French soldiers at the evacuations. I can’t imagine how they fit so many ships into the tiny Dover harbor. It was interesting that even though the coast of France is a mere seventeen miles from the White Cliffs of Dover, ships still had to struggle to cross the channel because of the constant bombardment by the Luftwaffe. The English made a great use of their underground systems. This probably stems from the fact the English had to deal with the constant bombing of the Germans. Not only did they create a whole system of underground tunnels at Dover, but they also used the cabinet war rooms in London and sought refuge from bombs in the underground. The British had a lot to contend with in World War II after the surrender of France at the hands of the Nazis. The Blitz brought so much destruction upon England, but from the way it looks right now, its as if it never happened.

Today in class some of us were talking about how we never really get to see movies or read books from the German perspective of World War I and World War II. In every movie or book that I have ever encountered, the Germans are always portrayed in a very negative light. Naturally, anything that has been written or created by an American or a British person would portray the Nazis and the Germans in the trenches as monsters because of all the horrible things they have done. And yes, the holocaust was a travesty and the acts performed were horrific. But for once I would like to see a movie or read a book from the perspective of a German. I think it would be interesting to see their view on the war because it would be so different from the opinion I have formed. Obviously, the Germans had something to be angry about when they were forced to comply with the many demands of the Treaty of Versailles. Germany was not in a position in which they could pay for all the damage they caused. It always makes me wonder if the treaty had been a little more lax, would the Second World War have even occurred? I would really like to learn about how the Germans felt at this time. They actually lost the most men during the war. Their population was devastated just as much as England and France. Surviving German soldiers were probably just as deeply affected by the war as the allied soldiers. I think it would be interesting to read something about that.

One of my favorite parts of the Imperial War Museum was the In Memoriam exhibit. After reading Regeneration, it sort of puts World War I into a different light. I feel like the affect the war had on the veterans is often left out of history and it was really interesting to get a glimpse into this part as well. The three surviving British veterans of the war were on the first wall, each with a quote about the how they could never forget the war. I just found out that one of the three men on the wall, Bill Stone, died a month ago at the age of 109. I was researching him and I found out that he also fought in World War II. I couldn’t believe that even after he fought in the first World War, he was willing to fight for his country again. If he witnessed all the horrors of World War I that caused most of the surviving soldiers to lose themselves, it shows immense loyalty to his country that he was willing to fight the Germans again. It is very admirable and inspiring.

Modern U.S. history places a large emphasis on the historical events of WWII. The war is popularized by the media and popular culture. While often they are portrayed in a realistic manner, the media often represents these wars inappropriately. In feature films World War II is portrayed with a romantic approach. Modern movies show a humanistic aspect to the war by illustrating the war through romances. The Oscar winning film the English patient shows the war through the eyes of the fatally injured Count Almasy and his love for a woman named Katherine. The film illustrates a love that overshadows the atrocities of war. Another popular film, Pearl Harbor, depicts the devastating effect Pearl Harbor and the war had on two best friends and their love for a woman named Evelyn. Again, WWII is portrayed in romantic fashion. The film is a love story surrounded by the backdrop of WWII. In a more recent film, Atonement, though it depicts the war, once again through a love story, does a better job of depicting the realities of the war in Europe. The movie is shown through three very different perspectives. It is shown through two women who work as nurses and see the extensive casualties suffered at the hands of the axis powers and a soldier who witnesses first hand the carnage in France and the evacuations of the British at Dunkirk. It revolves around the love of Robbie and Celia. The ending, though devastating is a more realistic portrayal of the war, though it is still riddled with romanticism. Often, popular culture leaves out the real atrocities. The holocaust is not often portrayed. The U.S. reluctance to enter the war is not often portrayed. A more historical representation of WWII would illustrate the atrocities of the war, such as the U.S. treatment of the Japanese in interment camps, the extermination of jews in Europe, and the gruesome casualties suffered at the hands of bombs and technologically advanced weapons. The media tries to hide these atrocities and show a more appealing version of the war, through romance.